In January 2011, Dave Murray organized a group of participants from the NAOMI heroin assisted treatment research study in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver.

The NAOMI Patients Association (NPA) meets every Saturday at Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users (VANDU). Shortly after NPA began to meet, they decided to work towards conducting their own research about their experiences as NAOMI research subjects. They were particularly interested in recording their experiences during and following NAOMI and making recommendations for future heroin and drug substitution research experiments and programs.

Being the only contemporary “research participants” in North America to receive heroin maintenance, they believe that they have unique knowledge about the NAOMI projectand its impact on the lives of those addicted.

The recommendations for future projects and programs are drawn from lived experiences.

The following presentation draws from these focus groups and NPA meetings.

Panel presenters:

Chair: Donald MacPherson, Director of Canadian Drug Policy Coalition, former City of Vancouver Drug Policy Coordinator

Hendrik Beune of AHA MEDIA and Donald MacPherson of Canadian Drug Policy (CDPC) share a smile together in Vancouver!

Donald is drug policy change agent that believes a new paradigm is necessary that puts human rights, saving lives and public health first

CDPC is a broad based network of organizations, associations and individuals working together to develop drug policy and legislation based on evidence, human rights, social inclusion and public health in Canada.